Slide fastener



Nov. 22, 1960 Q A. J. M NAMARA SLIDE FASTENER Filed Jan. 8, 1959INVENTOR AMBROSE J. M0 NAMARA M H. slim ATTORNEY -Uni d Stews P en,Thepresentinvention, is directed to a slide fastener, and moreparticularly to a slide fastener which maybe readily mounted above aseam, and which permits a construction to b'e obtained which in itsclosed disposition closely simulates a seam.

It has long proved desirable to provide a slide fastener ,which can'begmounted into a' cloth article, and which when so mounted will closelysimulate a seam when in closed" disposition. A variety 'of approacheshave now been developedfor the insertion of slide fastenersliiitoclotharticles in which the line of stitching joiningthe tapes of theslide fastener to the cloth article are closely adjacent to the elementsof the slide fastener.

In the -.copending patent application Serial No. 740,257, filed June 6,1958, by Philip E. Crystal entitled Slide Fastener there is described aslide fastener which is not provided. with-a bottom stopor clip'adjacentthe lowerr'nost elements. on the tapes of the slide fastener.Instead, :there is provided a gap below the lowermost, elements on thetapes of the slide fastener which is devoid of elements. A bar tack ormetal clip joins the lower- :most ends-f .the tapes togetherandidefin'esth'e'bottom of the gap. The slider of the slide fastener may he slidfrom the elements of the slide fastener onto the tapes in the gapportion. Thus, the portion of the tapes carrying the slide fastenerelements are completely free from the slider so that the lines ofstitching joining the tapes of the slide fastener to the cloth articlecan be easily placed closely adjacent to the elements of the slidefastener. However, it has been found that when the slider of the slidefastener is slid from the elements of the slide fastener into the gap,the slider may become loose from the tapes of the slide fastener.

This invention has as an object the provision of a novel slide fastener.

This invention has as another object the provision of a slide fastenerwhich may be readily installed into a cloth article by lines ofstitching which are closely adjacent to the elements of the slidefastener tapes.

This invention has as a further object the provision of a slide fastenerin which the slider may be slid completely from the elements of theslide fastener without becoming loose from the tapes of the slidefastener.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in thedrawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the slide fastener of the present inventionwith the slide fastener elements thereof in engaged disposition, suchview revealing the appearance of the rear face of the slide fastener.

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, but with the slidefastener elements in non-engaged disposition.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

mat ix t es p pie sm nt I rryinste 1'2 lrosedi iit ose d posi with e ceth wie tf fs h p "1 4, llpbn. which "a is 'carriedQ Thus, the welt, s,isfifiefrom s e Nev-126 F gu e. its typical s tio a ie throu ht s p POItion'of dneioffth'etapes of inventio The i t seq 1 9M11 pr sntin m h ofthe tapes12and 14 is provided with elements 16.,whieh a .w t s s wths wttlieslit etaster.l l

As seen partic res 3 and .4, .each 9f the p and 1 g g d 'wi hawel namelywe tl t thejsas' 9 tap 12.21. 6 We t!" caseoftfiPe l4. The elements16comprise curved members. each c'eiv'ed within 7 the. elements" 16 henare carried, sm le welts .iffdesired, ,so that jsuch elements .may beheld; erect T e t f' 1 5mm! a pl e s andvauapth tapes 12 221K114 whenthe slide,,fastenerelements; 16 are engagedJfThus, when the sl'd'e fastefer lll is 'yiewed nh s g e a i t eslde gw 'chthe f e i e ent -16 ij e.sii tfas ens te em n s' obscured bythe tapes 12" and 14. This enablesth fastener 10 to function as a concealed slide fastener. A {top stop-21* is'pro'vided adjacent-the uppermost fastener elements-oneach ofthetap'esk 1 2"aii'd "14.- The-top i e slide stop 21"015 eachof "thetapesf l2 fa'nd' 14-is preferably 1 formed of non-mating slide fastenerelements,- such asa 1plurality.of-:nestinguslide' fastener elementst Theslider 22 rides on the inner and outer edges of the elements 16 when theslider is engaged with such elements 16. A wide variety of constructionsof slider and elements may be utilized in the slide fastener of the present invention. However, the elements and the slider shown in the UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 2,738,560, issued March 20, 1956, to Hug areespecially suitable.

It is to be noted that the slide fastener 10 of the present invention isnot provided with a bottom stop or clip adjacent the lowermost elements16a on the tapes 12 and 14. Instead, below the lowermost elements 16a onthe tapes 12 and 14 there is provided a gap 24 which is devoid ofelements, and which has a length appreciably greater than the length ofthe slider 22.

A strip of plastic 26 is bonded around the portion of the welt 18 whichis in the gap portion 24. As shown in Figure 5, the plastic strip 26 ismolded to the welt 18 so that the plastic is imbedded within theinterstices of the material of the welt 18. A plastic strip 28 issimilarly bonded around the port-ion of welt 20 which is in the gapportion 24. Plastic strips 26 and 28 extend the full length of the gapportion 24, and the bottommost ends of the plastic strips 26 and 28 arebonded together at 30. Thus, the gap 24 is defined by the lowermostelements 16a, and the integral portion 30 of the plastic strips 26 and28 which joins the tapes 12 and 14 together.

The slider 22 may be slid from the elements 16 of the slide fastener 10onto the plastic covered welts 18 and 20 in the gap portion 24, in whichposition the slider 22 is completely removed from the elements 16 (seeFigure 2). The plastic strips 26 and 28 increase the diameter of thewelts 18 and 20 so that the slider 22 is held firmly on the welts l8 and20 and cannot become loose from the welts 18 and 20. The integrallybonded end portions 30 of the plastic strips 26 and 28 serves as a stopand prevents the separation of the slider 22 from the ends providedacross the bottommost ends of the' tapes 12 and 14 below the integrallybonded end 30 of the plastic strips 26 and 28t0 serve as an additionalstop. Moreover, the integrally bonded end portions 30 ofthe plasticstrips -26 and 2 8 serve to keep the-tapes 12- and 14 in juxtaposedalignment even when the slider 22 is disposed within the gap'24. Thethickness of the plastic strips 26 and 28 on the welts 18 and 20 isapproximately equal to-the thickness of the elements 16 carried by suchwelts 18 and 20. This facilitates the -movement of the slider 22 in thegap 24. e 1

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms wtihoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to'the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

j 1. A slide fastener including a pair of tapes, the innermost edges ofsaid tapes beingwelted for the entire length of the tapes, mating slidefastener elements secured to said welts on each of said tapes, a slider,bridging means securedly' joining said tapes together at the lowermostportions of said tapes, said tapes being provided with a fastenerelement-free gap intermediate'said bridging means and the lowermostfastener elements carried by said tapes,

said gap having a length appreciably greater than the length of saidslider, with said slider being reciprocally movable along'the welts insaid gap and along said slide fastener elements, and means securedaroundthe portions of the welt of each of said tapes in said gap andincreasing the diameter of said welts to prevent the slider frombecoming loose from said. welts when the slider is in said gap.

- 2. A slide fastener including a pair of tapes, the innermost edges ofsaid tapes being welted for the entire length of the tapes, mating slidefastener elements secured to said welts on each of said tapes, a slider,bridging means securedly joining said tapes together at the lowermostportions of said tapes, said tapes being provided with a fastenerelement-free gap intermediate said bridging means and the lowermostfastener elements carried by said tapes, said gap having a lengthappreciably greater than the length of said slider, with said sliderbeing reciprocally movable along the welts in said gap and along saidslide fastener elements,-and a separate plastic strip bonded around theportion of the welt of each of said tapes in said gap, and extending thefull length of said gap, said plastic strips increasing the diameter ofsaid welts to prevent the slider from becoming loose from said weltswhen the slider is in said gap.

3. A slide fastener in accordance with claim 2 in which said plasticstrips are partially imbedded within the interstices of the material ofsaid welts.

4. A slide fastener in accordance with claim 3 in which the bottommostends of said plastic strips are integrally bonded together, saidintegrally bonded ends of said plastic strips constituting the bridgingmeans joining the tapes References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,164,488 Behrens July 4, 1939 2,220,136 MarinskyNov. 5, 1940 2,832,119 Neitlich Apr. 29, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 719,297France Feb. 3, 1932

